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LETTERS FROM BERMUDA 



BY 



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Mrs. jane A^^ EAMES. 



CONCORD, N. H. : 

PRINTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION. 
1875. 



These letters, originally written for the Concord (N. H.) Daily 
Monitor, are now, at the request of many friends, published in this 
form, J. A. E. 



S-S3^ 



Letters from Bermuda. 



I. 

Hamilton Hotel, 
Hamilton, Bermuda, Jan. 12, I875. 

Messrs. Editors : Greetings to you from this gem of 
the sea, and through you to our many friends among the 
readers of the Monitor. Six days ago we left the ice- 
bound hills of New England ; and as I sit in my room, and 
look out of the open window (no, there is no window in the 
room, but, instead, two large glass doors opening on the ve- 
randah) upon the blue waters of the harbor, and the green 
hills beyond dotted with white houses, it is difficult for me 
to realize that this is January, and that only last Wednesday 
I walked the streets of Concord, slipping about on their 
thick coating of ice and snow. What a marvellous change, 
and how speedily made f Three days and three nights of 
discomfort, and we are in an earthly paradise. 

On the afternoon of Thursday, the 7th of January, at 
four o'clock, our good steamer, the Canima, left New York, 
and in less than an hour we began to be in rough waters, 
and one by one the passengers dropped out of sight, the 
writer of this, one of the first to disappear. 

The Canima is a staunch, Clyde-built steamer, long and 
narrow, but like all propellers that I have seen, rolls fearfully. 



4 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

She is well manned, her officers thoroughly understanding 
and performing their duties, and, withal, extremely courteous 
to their jDassengers, doing everything in their power for 
their happiness and comfort. The servants were exceed- 
ingly attentive, ready to run at all times for us. 

I did not again make my appearance upon the stage till 
Saturday afternoon ; not that I was so very sick, but I was 
so extremely tired and uncomfortable I thought it best to 
keep as quiet as possible. There is not much change in a 
sea voyage, except in 'the noises around one. The creaking 
of the ropes, the throbbing of the engine, the waves dashing 
against us and pouring over us as though longing to devour 
us, the crockery knocking and thumping about, the retching, 
vomiting, and coughing of the unhappy victims of sea-sick- 
ness, — these are the sounds that constantly greet the ear. 
We did not see any ships, but, on the contrary, shipped 
many seas, each one seeming to knock us about with a little 
more force than its predecessor. We were constantly told 
that "We shall have rough weather crossing the gulf, but 
after that we shall be in smooth waters." That may have 
been the case in other instances, certainly not so in our 
experience, for it is difficult to say when we had the rough- 
est, — before, or after, crossing " the gulf." Each morning 
our attendants would announce that "We had a fine run last 
night." Well, if it was any jDleasure for them to call it a 
"fine run" I do not begrudge it to them, but I called it a 
roll, and a tumble, and a plunge, and every time a heavy sea 
struck us, our steamer would quiver from stem to stern. 

On Sunday came the joyful cry, "Land in sight!" Up I 
scrambled, dressed myself as speedily as I could, and went 
on deck. There, like a dark cloud against the horizon, lay 
Bermuda, "the haven where we would be." Oh ! what a 
joyful sight ! Nearer and nearer it seemed to come, and 
calmer and calmer grew the water, till it lay before us and 
around us like an azure sea of glass. 

I ran down to call the Doctor, who had not been out of 



LETTERS FROTM BERMUDA. 5 

his berth since leaving New York, and by the time I was 
back on deck, this isle of beauty, in all its loveliness, was 
before me. 

The approach to the harbor is through narrow straits, 
studded with islarids whose vivid green was in exquisite con- 
trast to the blue sea. Peeping in and out among the trees 
were white houses, and, as with infinite care we threaded our 
way through the intricate passage, new beauties were un- 
folded at every turn, and called forth new adjectives to ex- 
press our admiration. 

Darkness fell on the scene just before we reached the 
dock ; but soon after six we were in this hotel, and were 
warmly greeted by the senior proprietor, John W. Dodge, 
Esq., a class-mate of Dr. Eames in Brown University. 

And now, what shall I say of Bermuda.'* Not much more 
in this letter than I have already said ; for, although I took 
a long and lovely drive yesterday morning, my head was so 
w^eak, the effects of the voyage, that I could only lie back in 
the carriage and enjoy to the utmost the delicious air and 
the intensely foreign aspect of everything about me. 

As the steamers leave only once a fortnight, I shall have 
ample time to observe, and to digest my observations, before 
sending off another letter to you. Think of being two 
weeks without getting a letter or a newspaper ! 



II. 



Hamilton, Bermuda, Jan. 20, 1875. 

Messrs. Editors : By this time I suppose you have re- 
ceived my first letter from Bermuda, written I think on the 
twelfth, announcing our safe arrival on this enchanted shore. 

We have now been here more than a week, and already 
begin to feel quite at home. Every time we walk out we 
meet some pleasant acquaintance that we have made, whose 
kindly greetings lead us to forget that we are " strangers in a 
strange land." In fact, the fashion here seems to be to bow 
and speak to every one you meet, be they gentlemen, ladies, 
or what in ordinary parlance are called "common people." 
There are a great many black people on the island. Though 
slavery was abolished here in 1834, it is said that sixty-one 
per cent, of the inhabitants are more or less of African de- 
scent. Many of them own a little patch of land which they 
cultivate with care, and, as far as I know, are industrious 
and frugal. Some say they are lazy. I dare say they may 
be. My experience is, that there is a vast deal of laziness 
in the world, and, of course, a warm climate tends to develop 
it more than a cold one. The black women are tall and 
straight, and walk through the streets carrying upon their 
heads immense bundles which they bear with extreme ease, 
balancing them by the motion of the 'body, without the 
touch of the hand. It is not uncommon to meet a woman 
having on her head a large tub filled with water, and al- 
though she may be going up or down a hill, so evenly does 
she walk that not a drop of the hquid overflows. They do a 
great deal of work, too, in the fields, and as for the children, 
they are playing round everywhere, and are just as bright 
and cunning (I do not mean by this word sly) as they can 
be. The men are sociable, ever ready to answer any ques- 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 7 

tions put to them, and are uniformly respectful and po- 
lite. At least we have found them so, for we have not re- 
ceived an impertinent or saucy word or look from any one 
to whom we have spoken, — man, woman, or child. 

And now permit me to speak a little in detail of this 
island;^ or cluster of islands, rather. Some say there are 
more than three hundred islands in all, but as many of these 
consist of only a single rock or hill, they are not of much 
account. 

A chart lies before me, made in 1872, which gives at least 
one hundred islands, about twenty of which are inhabited. 
The five largest islands are St. David, St, George, Bermu- 
da (sometimes called the continent), Somerset, and Ireland, 
all separated from each other by little inlets or bays. These 
islands lie about seven hundred miles south-east of New 
York, in the same latitude as Charleston, South Carolina. 
The nearest point on the main land is Cape Hatteras, which 
is five hundred and eighty miles distant. 

The islands are about fifteen miles long, varying in width 
from a half mile to five miles. They lie from north-east to 
south-west, and are of calcareous formation, due to the ac- 
tion of the wind in blowing up sand from the coral reefs. 
This calcareous formation makes hard, excellent roads, and 
the limestone, found in great quantities, is used in building, 
all the houses being constructed of it. Some of the houses 
are stained a pinkish red or yellowish brown, but the most of 
them are left in their natural state of whiteness. 

As the inhabitants are mostly dependent upon rain wa- 
ter, the roofs are whitewashed, that they may be kept 
clean and pure so as not to soil the water that falls upon 
them. This Bermuda stone is so soft and porous that it 
is generally sawed out with a common saw ; but despite its 
softness it is very durable, and as it is never touched by 
frost, a house built of it is known to last in good order for 
a century and a half. It is rarely that you see a house here 
more than two stories high, and the majority of them are only 



8 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

one. They all have blinds, not opening up and down through 
the middle, as with us, but whole, and hinged at the top so 
that they may be raised or lowered to let in as much or as 
little sunlight as one wants. Every house has its verandah, 
shut in at the sides with lattice-work. To keep cool is the 
main thing here, and all the houses are built with this end 
in view. Many houses in Bermuda (I use this name as 
including all the islands) never have a fire during the win- 
ter, except in the kitchen. 

In 1 87 1 the population of these islands was 12,426, of 
which 4,725 were whites, 7,390 blacks, and 305 belonged to 
the military and naval departments. 

It is said that these islands were discovered in 1527; but 
I cannot go fully into their history here, which may be a 
matter of consolation to some of my readers. In 1609, a 
part of the fleet sent out fromx the mother country to the 
Virginia colony was wrecked off the Bermudas, and St. 
George received its name from Sir George Somers, one of 
the wrecked party. On their arrival afterwards in Virginia, 
they made so flattering a report of the riches and beauty of 
these islands, that the Virginia company procured such an 
extension of their charter as to include Bermuda in it. Soon 
after, this right was purchased by one hundred and twenty 
gentlemen, who divided the profits arising from the cultiva- 
tion of the soil among themselves and their tenants. This 
proprietary form of government existed till 1685, when these 
islands became a crown colony of England. 

The Governor, the highest ofBcial on the island, receives 
his appointment from the crown, and holds his office from 
five to seven years. His salary is two thousand seven hun- 
dred and forty-six pounds (not quite fourteen thousand 
dollars), five hundred of which is jDaid by the colony, forty- 
seven from what is called "quit-rents," and the. remainder 
by the English government. 

The Legislature, which generally meets in the summer, is 
composed of the House of Assembly and the Council, the 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 9 

latter consisting of nine members, nominated by the Gover- 
nor and ratified by the English government. The islands 
are divided into nine parishes, — St. George, Hamilton, Smith, 
Devonshire, Pembroke, Paget, Warwick, Southampton, and 
Sandys, — each of which is entitled to send four representa- 
tives to the Assembly. No one can vote unless he owns 
real estate to the value of sixty pounds (three hundred dol- 
lars our money), and he is not eligible to ofifice as a mem- 
ber of the Assembly, unless he has at least four times that 
amount. 

Although the blacks have the same civil rights as the 
whites, I am told they have never sent a colored representa- 
tive to the Assembly; and although at the last census there 
were 3,284 colored males to 2,118 whites, there were only 
one hundred and ninety-seven colored voters to six hundred 
and twenty-nine white. 

There are only two towns of any size on the island, — St. 
George and Hamilton. We are at the latter, which is the 
seat of government, and contains about 2,000 inhabitants. 
It does not lie on the sea, as I expected, but on a harbor 
which is almost landlocked. This hotel stands on a hill, and 
our room is in front, opening, as I think I said in my first 
letter, on the verandah by two glass doors. For the most 
of the time since we have been here, one of these doors 
has been open, and some of the time both. From the ver- 
andah I look across the harbor to a prettily wooded island, 
and to the shore beyond, which is hilly, thickly wooded, and 
dotted with white houses. Further down is the light-house, 
and every evening I see its bright light revolving around 
every minute. The street on the harbor is the busiest, as 
most of the stores and offices are there. Not much of a 
sidewalk anywhere, so pedestrians stroll along in the mid- 
dle of the street, or where it best suits their convenience. 

Cedar trees abound all over the islands. Then there are 
so many foreign trees and shrubs, — that is, "foreign" to our 
eyes, — that our attention is constantly attracted by something 



10 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA, 

new and strange. Palmetto trees are in abundance ; ban- 
anas, oranges, and lemons grow in profusion. Then there is 
a sort of plum, called "loquotte," bright yellow in color, and 
delicious in taste. The mountain cabbage is a very peculiar 
looking tree. It rises to a great height, the trunk as clean 
and smooth as though it had been shaven, while at the ex- 
treme top it spreads out into graceful branches, bearing 
clusters of a kind of fruit resembling a cabbage, — whether 
good to eat or not, I have not discovered. Oleanders, great 
trees of them, are everywhere, and their flowers send out 
a delicious perfume. Many of the private gardens are ex- 
quisitely laid out, and kept in perfect order. Everywhere 
you see great bunches of roses, lovely in color and perfect 
in fragrance. 

There are several magnificent specimens of the India 
Rubber tree, one very near our hotel, sent here twenty-five 
years ago from Essequebo, and now grown to be an enor- 
mous tree, the trunk twelve feet in circumference, running 
up three or four feet from the ground, and then dividing in- 
:jo five large limbs, rising in all nearly fifty feet from the 
ground, and covering with its dense shade a space all round 
of at least seventy feet. I have seen, too, a mahogany tree, 
and an aloe bearing a nut-shaped fruit, — or flower, shall I call 
it .-• A very singular looking tree is the pawpaw, rising up 
slim and straight, without any branches, the fruit in shape 
like a lemon, growing directly from the trunk. These are 
not yet ripe, so I have had no opportunity of tasting them. 

Since we have been here we have had on the table, pease, 
string beans, tomatoes, turnips, lettuce, asparagus, and rad- 
ishes, fresh from the garden. Sweet potatoes are not as 
nice here as those we get in the States. The far-famed 
Bermuda onions are growing everywhere, and shall I be 
deemed too prosaic if I say their odor sometimes mingles 
with the delicious scent of the roses and the oleanders ? 

Notwithstanding the richness of the soil and the warmth 
of the climate, there is a good deal of waste land in these 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. II 

islands. A New England farmer and fruit-grower, coming 
out here, might soon, it seems to me, make a fortune in rais- 
ing vegetables and fruit for the market. 

Since we have been here, there has been a great deal of 
cloudy weather with frequent showers. A high wind blows 
a great part of the time, though fortunately it is not a cold 
wind. 

As I said before, the roads here are very good. They 
often run through deep cuttings in the rocks, from the crev- 
ices of which spring delicate flowers and lovely ferns. 

Here, in driving, as in England, when you meet a carriage 
you turn to the left, and not to the right, as in our country. 



III. 

Hamilton, Bermuda, Jan. 27, 1875. 

Messrs. Editors : Just three weeks to-day since we left 
our home in the Granite State, and we have not yet heard 
one word from there, either by letter or newspaper. The 
Canima, which ought to have been in on Sunday evening or 
Monday morning, has failed to make her appearance, and of 
course there are all sorts of rumors and conjectures about 
it, forming the principal topic of conversation. We do not 
even know whether the steamer ever reached New York, 
after leaving here on the 14th; if she did not, you cannot 
have heard of our arrival here. Think of being three weeks 
without a newspaper! True, there are two or three weekly 
newspapers published here, but when no steamer has arrived 
their contents, of course, must be strictly local, and therefore 
not of so much interest to us as to the people here. 

The leading paper is the Royal Gazette, published, I think, 
more or less at the expense of the government. It is about 
the size of the Monitor, and the subscription price is twen- 
ty-four shillings a year (six dollars), rather "steep" (as the 
boys say) for a weekly paper. Each week we have bought 
a copy, for which we have paid a sixpence, and, leaving out 
the advertisements, we could read it all through in a half- 
hour or so. 

You will wonder what we find to occupy ourselves about 
in this small island, but we have by no means yet begun to 
exhaust its wonders, for we have not been in a hurry with 
our sight-seeing, learning in this respect, if in no other, to 
take life easily, after the custom of the Bermudians. 

Of course, being an English colony, the Episcopal is the 
established Church of the island, which is under the ecclesi- 
astical control of Right Rev. Edward Feild, d. d., Lord Bishop 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 1 3 

of Newfoundland. His See was formed from the Diocese of 
Nova Scotia in 1839, and includes Newfoundland, Labrador, 
and the Bermudas. He generally spends his winters here, 
but this season it is said he is not coming out, as his coad- 
jutor, Bishop Kelly, is sick. Every parish here has its church, 
one clergyman, however, generally doing duty in two distinct 
parishes. Here in Hamilton, in addition to the parish church, 
there is a cathedral, or "chapel of ease," rather, Trinity church, 
built of the white stone of the country, and so beautiful in 
all its parts and thorough in all its details, that it would be 
considered an ornament to any town in the States. The 
service there is well-conducted, and we have enjoyed it ex- 
ceedingly. A great many colored people attend there, and 
enter into the services with much spirit and interest. There 
are two Presbyterian places of worship on the island, several 
Methodist, and one Romish. The chaplains to the troops 
are generally Episcopal, though in one or two instances .they 
are Presbyterian and Romish. 

But to go back to the way we occupy oitr time. We walk 
every day, and drive two or three times a week, and when- 
ever we go out, whether walking or driving, we see some 
new thing to admire. When I have written of the trees, I 
do not think I have mentioned the " Pride of India," which 
is very abundant here, a beautiful tree in shape, though we 
do not now see it in its glory, as it is not in full leaf. 

One day we visited, by invitation, a beautiful estate called 
"Rose Bank," where the grounds are exquisitely laid out, 
though not kept in the best order, as the estate has re- 
cently changed owners. There are eighteen acres, includ- 
ing wharf privileges, and the whole was bought six months 
ago for about fifteen thousand dollars in our money. So, 
you see, real estate does not seem very high in Bermuda. 
The house at Rose Bank, though only of one story, is large 
and roomy, and the grounds are so lovely that we were loth 
to leave them. However, we shall visit them often, as we 
have a standing invitation to go whenever we like. There 



14 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

we saw many trees and shrubs strange to us, among which 
was the guava, from the fruit of which the celebrated jelly 
bearing that name is made. What at home we commonly 
call "pigeon berry" here rises to a large tree, and the boughs 
hang over in the most graceful manner, bearing great clus- 
ters of berries. Oranges, lemons, limes, and loquottes grow 
in great profusion in this ' garden, while roses, geraniums, 
oleanders, and other flowers load the air with their fragrance. 
Among other plants strange to us were the sago palm, and 
a species of lily bearing an immense purple flower. Birds 
were carolling over our heads, the sunlight streamed down 
upon us, and through vistas in the trees we caught enchant- 
ing views of the blue water. 

Two mornings our amusement consisted in seeing a reg- 
iment get away, the fifty-third, composed, all told, men, 
women, and children, of about one thousand persons. The 
first morning the women and children embarked, carrying 
untold articles of baggage. The loud sobs and cries of the 
women and childrfen, mingled with the barking of dogs and the 
chattering of monkeys and parrots, made a sound at once 
affecting and comical. The next day the men got off, and 
there were loud cheering and band-playing as the steamer 
left the wharf. They were all carried down to the dockyard, 
where they embarked on board the Tamar for Gibraltar. 

One afternoon we went, by invitation of Rev. Mr. Lough, 
rector of the churches of Paget and Warwick, to a feast given 
to the colored Sunday-school belonging to the two parishes, 
in the glebe grounds of Paget. Here were assembled two or 
three hundred colored children, with a small sprinkling of 
white (their school having had their festival a little while 
ago), with their teachers, mostly white, and I never saw chil- 
dren play more heartily and enjoy themselves more thor- 
oughly ; and though a good many of them were boys who 
played with all their "might and main," after the manner of 
boys, there was no roughness or rowdyism about them. A 
table was spread under the trees, where was a profusion of 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA, 1 5 

cake and hot tea, of which all the children partook boun- 
tifully, and afterwards had cake, nuts, and candy given them 
to take home. 

In Mr. Lough's garden we saw all kinds of vegetables 
growing, and strawberries ripening fast. They gave us 
some "loquottes" to bring home, and what they called 
"sugar apples," — the outside in rough scales, somewhat re- 
sembling a "Jerusalem artichoke," the inside in a triangular 
sort of compartment, of a sweet, custardy nature, each com- 
partment containing a seed or stone about the size of our 
common white bean. 

Among our amusements, I must not forget to mention 
shopping, so dear to every feminine nature. The shops are 
by no means attractively arranged in Bermuda ; no show Of 
any display to tempt an outsider to walk in. They remind 
me a good deal of what we call a "country store," at home, 
wherein may be found a little or a good deal, as the case 
may be, of everything. I have been enabled to pick up 
some few things to take home, — specimens of lace made 
here, and of palmetto work ; also chains and bracelets made 
of acacia seeds, the latter brought to the hotel by negro 
women, for sale. 

One of our drives was to the barracks on "Prospect" — high 
land commanding an extensive view o'er land and sea. These 
are the quarters of the regiments stationed here, there always 
being a large detachment of troops on the island. At pfes^ 
ent they are in a transition state, so many having recently 
sailed for home, and others having just come to take their 
places. In our drive that day we passed the old parish 
church of Devonshire, venerable for its antiquity and its 
associations with the early history of these islands. In the 
churchyard is a cedar tree, the oldest on the island. For- 
merly it was used for a bell-cote; now it is quite hollow, with 
a young tree growing up through it. We came home by the 
sea-road— on our right the vast expanse of ocean, not a 
"gray and melancholy waste," but of the brightest, loveliest 



1 6 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

hue, and cultivated patches and wooded hills, interspersed 
with barren fields, on our left. In the rocky inlets along the 
shore the sea was of the loveliest green imaginable, shading 
off into darker tints as the water grew deeper. 

You seldom see cattle and sheep browsing here on the 
hillside. What cattle there are are tethered, and they are 
lean and poor. Hens and ducks are cackling about with 
their young broods ; and, as we see these small specimens 
of the feathered tribe in full enjoyment of their little lives, 
we find it difficult to realize that it is winter, a time with us 
when chickens and ducklings are unknown. We have seen 
some geese and turkeys, but not many. 

Another day we drove to the light-house, six or seven 
miles from here. At first we skirt round the harbor, through 
Paget and Warwick, our favorite drive, the road lying through 
fine country seats, and giving us exquisite glimpses of the 
water. As we near the light-house the sea view opens, till 
the whole expanse lies stretched before us, as smooth and 
placid as an inland lake. Everything in and about the light- 
house is kept in perfect order and neatness. We went up to 
the top by nearly two hundred steps, and were amply repaid 
for our exertions by the grand view from the summit; — sea- 
ward, blue water, dotted near the shore by gems of islands, 
stretching out as far as the eye could reach ; landward, green 
patches and white houses, little inlets from the sea, giving 
charming variety to the scene. Nor must I forget the pan- 
oramic view given by looking into the lens, where the scene 
below was reflected like a perfect picture. The light here 
is what is called a revolving dioptric lens, of the first order, 
with mirrors. I dare say scientists know what this means ; 
I do n't. It has one centre lamp with three concentric wicks, 
and is among the largest and most powerful in the world. 

But the culminating point in our amusements was reached 
to-day, when we attended a wedding, — William Whitney, 
deputy consul for the United States at the port of Hamilton, 
being married to Frances Mary Hill, of Smith. The wed- 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 1/ 

ding took place in St. Mark's church, in the parish of Smith, 
and was solemnized by the rector, Rev. G. Tucker, assisted 
by Rev. Dr. Eames, rector of St. Paul's church, New Hamp- 
shire, thus uniting England and America in the parties mar- 
ried and in the clergymen officiating. This is the first time 
I have witnessed what may be called a "foreign wedding," 
and you may be sure I was exceedingly interested in it. It 
would not be proper for me in this public manner to speak 
of the dress and deportment of the bride; but this I am 
sure I may say: everything was in admirable taste. The 
horses that bore away the bridal party were decked with 
white rosettes ; and the coachman carried a whip tied with 
long streamers of white ribbon. The wedding made a gala- 
day for this part of the island, — flags flying, and carriages, 
filled with wedding guests, dashing along the roads. As Mr. 
Whitney has been boarding, at this hotel, and has been ex- 
ceedingly kind and attentive to the Americans here, we have 
all been only too happy to avail ourselves of his polite invi- 
tation to attend his wedding. 

I cannot close this long letter without speaking of the 
kind attentions that have been bestowed upon us, even in 
the short time we have been here. We have made a good 
many very pleasant acquaintances, receiving a number of 
calls which we have taken much pleasure in returning. In 
addition, we have done ourselves the honor of paying our 
respects to His Excellency Major-General John Henry 
Lefroy, who has been Governor and Commander-in-Chief 
of Bermuda since May, 1871, Government House is at 
Mount Langton, a mile from here, directly on the seashore 
the grounds extensive, admirably laid out, and perfectly 
kept, the Governor being a thoroughly practical man in gar- 
dening as well as in everything else. 

Thus it will be seen, from what I have written, that we 
have not been idle since we have been here; so that with 
walking, driving, reading, writing, and the feminine occupa- 
tion of sewing and fancy work, my time has been fully and 
2 



I^ LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

agreeably occupied. Not much is going on here evenings, 
or, at least, not to attract me, so that, with the exception of 
going to church, I have not been out of the house after night- 
fall since our arrival. 

One more item and I have done. Last Sunday, Dr. Eames 
preached for Rev. Mr. Lough, — in the morning at Paget, and 
in the afternoon at Warwick, three miles farther on. The 
church at Paget is one of the largest and handsomest on the 
island, and that at Warwick is soon to be enlarged and beau- 
tified. There were excellent congregations, both morning 
and afternoon ; the services were well conducted, and the 
singing was exceedingly spirited and hearty. I do not know 
when I have more enjoyed a Sunday, — the services in these 
Bermuda churches, and the quiet dinner and tea in the lovely 
rectory at Paget. 

Feb. 1. I open this to say that our long suspense has been 
terminated, the Canima arriving this morning. Her being 
delayed a week has caused her to lose one trip, so she is to 
stay here till Saturday, and will not leave New York till the 
1 8th, thus bringing her roimd to her regular day for leaving 
that port. The delay in her arrival makes the date of my 
letters rather old, but I trust will not otherwise affect their 
contents. We have been obliged to give up going to Nassau, 
from the difficulty in getting there, so will spend the rest of 
our holiday here, taking the Canima on the nth of March, 
thus arriving at home in ample season for Easter. 



IV. 



Hamilton; Bermuda, Feb. i8, 1875. ' 

Messrs. Editors: Once more I make my appearance 
before you, trusting that I shall meet with a favorable re- 
ception. Since my last letter to you, we have had a con- 
stant succession of bad weather, not having had more than 
three or four bright, sunny days. In fact, this is the rainy 
season in Bermuda ; and the weather is so changeable here, 
it must be rather a trying climate for invalids, at least in the 
winter, and that is the very time they are sent here. It may 
often be bright here in the morning, and in an hour or two 
the whole aspect of nature is changed. The clouds come 
up, the wind rises, and down comes the rain, which, perhaps, 
will cease as abruptly as it came on. In fact, there is no 
dependence whatever to be placed upon the weather here, 
at least at this season of the year. It is perfect folly to go 
out, even on the brightest day, without taking an umbrella 
and an extra shawl or water-proof. And such winds as blow 
here, I never saw the like of! Perhaps "saw" is not a prop- 
er word to use in connection with wind, for I remember 
once hearing a man reproved for saying that he "never saw 
such a wind." Said the reprover, "How can you say 'saw 
such a wind'? What did it look like.''" "Like to have 
taken my head off," was the quick reply. And that is the 
way the wind blows here. Why, at this very moment that 
I am writing, it whistles along the corridors of this hotel 
with as much sound and force as though we were in a ship 
out in mid ocean. Fortunately for our comfort, it is not 
often a cold wind. And with all the rainy, cloudy, and 
windy weather, there have been few days that we have not 
sat with one of our doors open on the verandah. 



20 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

We have not been able to make many excursions, on ac- 
count of the unfavorable weather. Still, we have spent our 
time by no means unpleasantly, or unprofitably, we hope. 

Walking whenever the weather will permit, taking advan- 
tage of every sunny day to drive out, visiting and receiving 
visitors, and going to church, the days roll on, we scarcely 
know how. One evening we dined at Government House; 
and we spent a day with Mr. Allen, the American consul, 
who lives in a delightful situation at what is called "The 
Flatts," about four miles from here. His place lies on Har- 
rington sound, opening into the harbor by a narrow outlet, 
spanned by a bridge and hemmed in by hills, amid the cedar 
forests of which nestle houses of the most picturesque ap- 
pearance. The custom here of building the chimneys on the 
outside of the houses, and of whitewashing them, greatly 
tends to give them a foreign effect. 

At Mr. Allen's we saw a cocoa-nut tree, its feathery 
branches rustling in the wind like the soft pattering of 
raindrops, and bearing an abundance of fruit, — not yet ripe, 
however; and on our way to his house we saw arrow-root 
growing, one of the staple productions of the island, a low 
shfLib, with long, green leaves, shaped somewhat like an 
arrow-head, — hence, probably, its name. 

Then, we have been out to tea two or three evenings, and, 
as I said in one of my letters there is no way of lighting 
the streets, we were obliged to carry our own light; and it was 
too comical to see the Doctor going ahead of our party, with 
a lantern in his hand, like a modern Diogenes. Of course, 
since Lent came on, there have been only little social gath- 
erings, no ceremonious parties. On the first Sunday in this 
month the Doctor officiated for Rev. Mr. Tucker, preaching 
in the morning in Smith parish, where Mr. Whitney was 
married, and in the afternoon in Hamilton parish. Though 
we are in the town of Hamilton, we are in the parish of Pem- 
broke, Hamilton parish being several miles from here. Our 
enjoyment that day was somewhat marred by the rain. The 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 21 

congregations, however, were quite large, the services well 
conducted, and the music extremely good. In the choir at 
Smith there were voices that would have done credit to 
Concord, famed though it be for good singers ; and I never 
heard the Te Deum chanted more effectively than on that 
morning. 

On the second Sunday we drove to Sandys, ten miles from 
here, and the day was one of the loveliest we have had since 
we came. I have spoken before of a part of this drive, for 
we went over it on the way to the light-house. And, al- 
though we had been here five weeks, that Sunday was the 
first time we had been off this island, crossing then by a 
bridge the ferry to Somerset. 

As we rolled along in our open carriage, the sun shining 
so brightly, the air so warm, it was difficult to remember 
that we were just midway in February. The road was ex- 
cellent, and our horse's feet striking upon the rocky soil 
made " rich music wherever we went." The sea in its glori- 
ous coloring lay on our right, and, as I looked upon its gleam- 
ing waters studded with islands, I repeated again and again 
that line in Mrs. Hemans's exquisite poem, "The Better 
Land," — 

"Amid the green islands of glittering seas ;" 

and as the wind wafted the spicy odor of the cedar, I mur- 
mured another line of the same sweet poem, — 

"Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze." 

And I hope I shall not be deemed too enthusiastic or "gush- 
ing," when I say that I ended every fresh burst of admiration 
by repeating still another line from Mrs. Hemans, — 
" Dreams never pictured a world more fair." 

The church at Sandys is delightfully situated, the blue 
waters stretching far away in the rear, looking as calm and 
clear as the sky above. Like all the churches on these 
islands, it is surrounded by a churchyard, where the dead lie 



22 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

in their quiet sleep beneath the shadow of the sacred edifice 
in which their prayers and praises had been offered for 
many a year. 

The rector of Sandys and Southampton is Rev. C. P. K. 
Coombe, who lives in a charming cottage about half way 
between the two churches. Dr. Eames preached for him in 
the morning at Sandys, and in the afternoon at Southamp- 
ton, and we dined between the services at the rectory. In 
the morning the Holy Communion was administered, nearly 
two hundred persons receiving, more than half of whom were 
blacks. I never before saw so many colored people at a ser- 
vice ; and they were very devout in their appearance, nearly 
every one taking to the chancel a little manual of devotions. 
Some were very old, and looked as though it would be only 
a few more years before their life's pilgrimage would be 
ended. 

And I saw something in this church which I never saw 
before — two boys assisting the wardens in taking the com- 
munion alms. These boys went up and down the aisle 
presenting the plate with so much gravity and decorum, 
that I was really touched to see how much they seemed to 
realize that they were bearing their part in the service of 
God's house. 

And here, perhaps, is as good a place as any, to speak of 
the clergymen of the island. In all my experience of minis- 
terial life, and it has been neither a short nor unvaried one, I 
never saw harder worked men than the clergy of the Church 
of England in Bermuda. Every one has two parishes, sev- 
eral miles apart, and has from one to two or three thousand 
souls to minister to. Think what an immense amount of 
parish work and visiting this must necessitate! Think of 
writing sermons amidst the constant interruption of calls to 
the poor, the sick, and the afflicted ! Two or three of the 
clergy here have told me that they cannot have the same 
sermon both morning and afternoon, as often the members 
of the parish, where the morning service is held, go in the 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 23 

afternoon to the other parish. The alternation is this : The 
parish that has morning service on one Sunday has afternoon 
service the next Sunday, the second parish having morning 
service that Sunday and afternoon service the next Sunday, 
and so on. Then, in addition to ordinary parish duties, two 
or three of the clergy are chaplains to naval or military 
forces, and are obliged to have a separate service for them 
on Sundays, the parish church not being large enough to 
accommodate them in addition to the regular congregation ; — 
so Sunday is by no means a day of rest for the clergy. In 
addition to Sunday duties, in almost all the parishes there 
is service on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Mr. Coombe told 
me that often for weeks and weeks he administered the sac- 
rament of infant baptism on each of these days. And one 
thing I must say further, in reference to these clergy : They 
seldom have any intermission or change in their duties. 
Some of them have been here for twenty years, and have 
been out of Bermuda only once, and they are years without 
ever having a brother clergyman to help them. You see, in 
this out-of-the-way place, few stray clergymen come along, 
and no agents "to present their cause." Think, then, what 
a help and a breathing-time it has been to them to have the 
Doctor to preach for them. 

On Tuesday of this week we went over to Ireland island, 
about five miles from here, making the trip in a mail packet 
under the command of J. Benson Steed, who has crossed 
nearly twenty-four thousand times, and I think has never 
met with an accident. It was very rough the day we went 
over, but on the succeeding day, when we came back, it was 
delightfully smooth, and we enjoyed the sail immensely, get- 
ting charming views of the islands^ and the pretty country 
seats scattered over them. 

Her Majesty's dockyard is on Ireland island, and the walls 
that guard the entrance to it, and all the buildings upon it, 
are constructed in the most solid and substantial manner. 
The officers' residences are very attractive looking, and the 



24 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 



cottages for the workmen are neat and pretty. Of course 
all the buildings upon the island belong to the government. 
There is always more or less ship-building and repairing 
going on there, and a large number of marines and soldiers 
on duty and artisans at their work. The floating dock, the 
"Bermuda," is the largest in the world, being capable of 
holding vessels of the greatest size. It was built in England, 
and arrived here on the twenty-eighth of June, 1869, having 
been towed over by five ships. It lies in a basin built of the 
most soHd stone-work, fifty-two feet below low water mark. 
The length of the floating dock is three hundred and eighty- 
one feet, the breadth one hundred and twenty-four feet, and 
the depth seventy-five feet. 

We climbed up on the outside by ladder-like steps — a feat 
of agility rather difficult for one of my size — and looked down 
into the depth below, where workmen were busily engaged 
in hammering and tinkering upon an old steamship. 

At the upper end of the island is the residence of the 
chaplain, Rev. R. Croker, one of the most charming spots I 
have seen in this region. Here we were most dehghtfully 
entertained, their house having a world-wide fame for its ge- 
nial hospitality. A little farther on is the naval hospital, 
perfect in all its arrangements ; and on Boaz island, to which 
you gain access by a bridge, is the military hospital, also 
capitally ordered. Near the residence of the chaplain is the 
cemetery, beautifully laid out in winding walks through cedar 
groves, and very neatly kept ; but, oh ! it made my heart so 
sad, for it seemed to me almost every one who was laid there 
had either met death by accident, or had been a victim of 
the yellow fever, which several years ago was a terrible 
scourge to these islands. Many marines and civilians at 
the dockyard fell beneath its ravages, the pestilence having 
no regard for rank, taking the highest in command as well 
as the lowest in station, the man in the vigor and pride of 
his youth and the infant in its mother's arms. And a large 
majority of the inmates of this city of the dead died in the 



25 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

very flush of their manhood, just as Hfc's honors and duties 
were opening upon them. How many loving hearts at home 
had been made to ache with sadness when news came to 
them that a cherished one had been stricken down in this 
far-off isle in mid seas ! 

Under the escort of the chaplain we made the rounds of 
the dockyard, seeing everything worthy of note. We went 
on board the Irresistible, which is lying in the dock for re- 
pairs — a noble old ship, which has borne a prominent part 
in the naval history of England, "the Queen of the Seas." 

Thinking this is enough for one letter, I stop here, though, 
like the famous soap-man, "I have mpre of the same sort 
left." 



V. 



Hamilton Hotel, Feb. 22, 1875. 

Another greeting o'er sea and land to my New Hampshire 
friends. 

I finished my last letter amid the roaring of the wind and 
the dashinj; of the rain. The ne.xt morning what a change 
was there ! The sun as bright, the air as clear and warm, 
the water as smooth as though no "stormy winds" had ever 
visited this enchanted isle. On Friday the yacht squadron 
was out in full force, and we were invited by General and 
Mrs. Lefroy to go with them in their own yacht. What a 
pretty sight it was to see the yachts glide over the azure sea, 
their white sails swelling to the wind, their bright pennons 
gaily fluttering, while the music of laughter mingled pleas- 
antly with the soft ripple of the water. Nothing could ex- 
ceed the loveliness of the scene, as we wound in and out 
among the islands, the water of the clearest, softest blue 
imaginable. We cruised about for two hours or more, then 
cast anchor in a sheltered cove, and went on shore on 
Tucker's island, several miles from here. We had our lunch 
on board the Governor's yacht, the ruling genius of the 
hour declaring it was not worth while to have the provisions 
taken to the island, particularly as we were obliged to land 
in small boats, but the occupants of the other yachts chose 
to take their lunch on shore ; so when we landed, we found 
them seated in picturesque groups on the grass, knives and 
forks, tongues and glasses, moving in graceful harmony. 
Think of our enjoying this sweet out-of-doors idyl on the 
19th of I''ebruary, while you all at home were doubtless shiv- 
ering and shaking with the cold! 

On Tucker's island is a cave with large pillars of coral- 
line rock, and as we stood gazing up into the vaulted roof, 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 2/ 

or into the clear water at our feet, the grouping was most 
picturesque, — now a face iUuminated by the torch Ht to en- 
able us to see the cave to advantage, now half hidden in the 
darkness as we groped our way along. It was a scene fit 
for a painter. 

In different inlets about the island, General Lefroy put in 
a water-glass, and through that we could see fish gliding' 
about, in and out, amid the mimic coral reefs below. So 
quickly are coralline formations made in these waters, that 
if you throw into them an old bottle or tin box, in a few days 
you will find it more or less covered with delicate coral 
tracery. 

We were more than two hours making our way back to 
Hamilton, the wind being ahead ; but, as the water was per- 
fectly smooth and the air delicious, we enjoyed every mo- 
ment of the sail, finding it not a whit too long. As the 
shades of evening crept softly o'er us, the sheen on the wa- 
ter, and the lights and shadows playing over the islands 
through which we glided, were most glorious to behold. 
That day in our Bermudian life was one to be marked with 
a white stone — one that will not easily be forgotten. 

As the chaplain at the dockyard was very anxious for the 
Doctor to preach to the men of his charge, we went over on 
Saturday afternoon, and once more found ourselves welcome 
guests at the dear parsonage. After dinner we sat on the 
verandah, the full moon throwing a radiance of glory over 
the shining sea, while the soft breeze rustled in the cedar 
tops, wafting their spicy odors, and steeping our souls in 
bliss unutterable. 

Sunday morning dawned fair and gracious as a bride 
decked for her bridegroom. At an early hour we accompa- 
nied the chaplain over to Boaz island, which was once a con- 
vict station, eight hundred to one thousand convicts often 
being there at one time. Now it is used as a military post. 
In a small and neat chapel a short service was held, and Mr. 
Croker made a brief but effective address, there being about 



28 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

one hundred and fifty soldiers present. The responses were 
good, and the singing very hearty and spirited, done by the 
men without any instruments, keeping perfect time and 
tunc. I never enjoyed any singing more, particularly when 
they sang "Brief life is here our portion," every word in that 
exquisite hymn seeming so appropriate to a congregation 
composed of soldiers. How their voices rang out in the 
lines, — 

"And now we fight the battle. 

But then shall wear the crown." 

As the men marched out from the chapel they presented 
a fine appearance in their red coats, the English uniform 
being extremely showy and handsome. At the dockyard 
there is no church, the service being held in a large room, 
in one of the government buildings, beautifully and appro- 
priately fitted up as a chapel. It is a mile and a quarter 
from the parsonage, and I took the walk four times that day. 
The road, winding in and out among the houses and the 
cedar groves, over the hill and through the valley, gives at 
every turn charming views of the sea and the islands ; and 
the tints on the water and the land were lovely beyond com- 
pare. In the morning there was a large congregation, com- 
posed of soldiers in their red coats, marines in sailor jackets, 
officers in command both of land and sea forces, and their 
families, all attentive and devout. There is a large organ in 
the chapel, well played, and the singing was excellent. Dr. 
Eames preached both morning and evening. A Bermudian 
day was seen in all its changeableness on Sunday — warm and 
bright in the morning, more like our summer than winter, 
but clouding over in the afternoon, and finally settling down 
into a rainy evening. 

We came home in the mail packet this morning, and found 
the harbor gay, with the American flag flying from two or 
three vessels, from the consulate, and from this hotel, in 
honor of the birthday of "the father of his country." We 
began yesterday to look for signals of the Canima, but none 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA, 2<) 

greeted our anxious eyes, and our first question this morn- 
ing was, "Anything heard from the signal station ?" to which 
the answer was, "No." This afternoon, however, came the 
joyful sound, "The Canima is signalled!" 

There is a signal station at Mount Langton, the Govern- 
or's residence, at the Admiralty, at the dockyard, and several 
other places. The first signal is "an unknown vessel." 
Then, as 'soon as it can be made out what it is, whether 
steamer or sailing vessel, that is signalled. If a steamer, 
the signal is "an unknown steamer." As she comes nearer, 
and is made out clearly, the signal is changed to "the United 
States mail " if the Canima, and the " English mail " if it is 
the steamer from Halifax, which comes into St. George once 
a month on her way to St. Thomas. 

The Canima arrived a little after five o'clock this after- 
noon, and brought about forty passengers, more than thirty 
of whom are at the hotel ; and the bustle of their arrival and 
the excitement of getting our letters and papers have nearly 
turned our heads, having been just three weeks to a day 
without hearing one word from home, either by letter or 
newspaper. The steamer is off again on Thursday, to be 
back, we hope, in two weeks from to-day. 



VI. 

Hamilton' Hotel, March 3, 1875. 

From this sunny cHmc I address you once more, and I 
hoi)e by this time the rigor of your winter has abated, and 
you arc beginning to know something about the pleasures 
of spring. For the last week or more, the weather here has 
been delightful, so warm and sunny, more like summer than 
winter. By the last Canima. Dr. Moffat, from Littleton, came 
here, and when he arrived he found the thermometer just 
one hundred degrees higher than he left it in New Hamp- 
shire five days before. 

On Thursday, the twenty-fifth of February, the Canima 
sailed, — once more leaving us for nearly a fortnight without 
mail communication with our home. 

We went by invitation on that day to visit Rev. G. Tuck- 
er, rector of Smith and Hamilton. On our way we stopped 
at an arrow-root factory, the only one on the island, where 
wc witnessed the operation of peeling the root, grinding, 
washing, drying, pressing it, and making it ready for pack- 
ing and shipping. Between thirty and forty persons, men, 
women, and children, are employed there, and we were much 
interested in all we saw. Before we reached Mr. Tucker's, 
wc passed the mahogany tree, of which I made casual men- 
tion in one of my letters. This tree is twenty years old, the 
trunk seven feet in circumference, .spreading out, when 
about four feet from the ground, into numerous and graceful 
branches. It is nearly flat at the top. The leaf is of a dark 
and glossy green. 

Mr. Tucker took us a delightful drive, skirting Harrington 
sound, a charming sheet of water, reminding us of the Scot- 
tish lochs. We stopped at the "Devil's Ho'le," a shockingly 
bad name, I am aware, but then "there's nothing in a name," 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA, 3 1 

you know, and there were two clergymen in our party to fend 
oif the evil one! This "hole" is on the south-western shore 
'of the sound, having no connection with it, however ; but 
there is a subterranean connection with the ocean on the 
south side of the island, and by this hidden passage it is so 
well supplied with water, that fish are put in there to be 
kept till wanted. At present the principal kind is "group- 
ers" — horrid looking things they are, too, with thick, red lips, 
and great teeth. 

But among these unsightly objects, there was a fish of 
such a lovely blue color that it is called the "angel-fish." 
This, as well as the "groupers," makes, I am told, good 
eating. Then we drove on to a glen, where, after leaving 
the carriage, we had to make our way through a dense 
thicket of shrubs and trees, among which was the coffee 
plant, bearing an abundance of red berries, each berry con- 
taining two kernels of coffee. This glen was particularly 
rich in ferns, some of them very large. 

At dinner we had a dish new to us, — a pudding made of 
the cassava root, a deadly poison, if not properly dried and 
cooked. Being assured by our kind hostess that all poison- 
ous qualities had been thoroughly banished from it, we par- 
took freely of it, and found it very toothsome. And speak- 
ing of eating, reminds me that delicious puddings and cake 
are made of arrow-root, and I hope to go home so well armed 
and equipped with both arrow-root and recipes for cooking 
it, as to be able to regale my friends with some palatable 
compounds. 

After dinner we rowed across Harrington sound to Trunk 
island, belonging to Mr. Musson, a relative of Mrs. Tucker, 
who is building a house there in a picturesque spot among 
the cedars. Mr. Musson has already passed his four-score 
years, and is building this house, as he says, to spend the 
remainder of his days in. As there are no people on the 
island except his own servants, his days are not likely to be 
much disturbed, there being no access to the island but by 



32 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

boats. The views of the opposite shore from all parts of the 
island are e.xtremely pretty. As we rowed back, toward the 
close of the day, the water was so smooth and clear, that 
every object near the shore was reflected in it. Nothing 
could exceed the beauty of coloring that lay over the land 
and the sea. 

Sunday, the twenty-eighth, was the first Sunday we had 
spent in Hamilton for six weeks, Dr. Eames preaching in 
the Cathedral on the evening of that day. I have spoken 
before, I think, of this Cathedral. As service is held there 
every day, we often go, and I feel as much at home as in our 
own church in Concord. Here, as in churchgs in foreign 
countries, there is a very deep chancel, in which, outside of 
the rail, of course, there are eight pews occupied by the civil, 
military, and naval dignitaries. In one of these pews two 
seats have been assigned to us. The music is exceedingly 
good, and the services very attractive. One thing I must 
speak about, that has greatly attracted my attention in all the 
churches I have attended here, and that is, there is no 
talking in the church, the occupants of one pew or slip not 
speaking to those of another, even though they may not have 
met for some time, till they have left the church. I wish 
we could see this custom observed in our own churches at 
home, where the laughing and chattering and exchanging 
compliments in the sacred edifice are carried to a lamenta- 
ble extent. And one thing more I must say of the services 
in all the churches on the island, and that is, the hymns 
are sung much more rapidly than at home, which tends to 
make the singing far more spirited than in our churches. 
And I may indulge in a little personal remark here, which is, 
that we have not attended one church, even in the most dis- 
tant part of the island, without seeing some one in the con- 
gregation whom we have met before. Of course this makes 
us feel less and less like strangers. 

Yesterday we visited Miss Tucker, in Smith parish, five 
miles from here. Her house is charming, looking like an 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA, "J3 

English abbey, with its trelHsed porch and its pointed win- 
dows. I have before said that the houses here are mostly 
of one story, consequently there is no attic. The ceilings are 
generally carried up into the roof, and finished off in arches 
or miniature domes, thus giving each room a lofty and airy 
appearance. 

Miss Tucker's grounds are very extensive, and she has the 
greatest variety of fruit-trees that I have ever seen. In 
addition to those I have mentioned in other letters, I saw 
there a sappodilla, which bears a sort of custard-apple, pome- 
granate, abacado pear, which, by the way, seems to be more 
like a vegetable than a fruit, being somewhat of the vegeta- 
ble marrow species, and grape fruit, bearing a kind of orange, 
which, on account of its growing in clusters on the tree, has 
received the name of "grape fruit." Most of these trees are 
not now in fruit, one season having just gone by and the 
other not yet come. We saw, too, a calabash tree, which 
bears a kind of gourd, made by the colored people into dip- 
pers and bowls. Over this a rose-bush has scrambled, and 
on the very top of the tree are large clusters of red roses. 
Over many of the trees on those grounds the convolvulus 
has spread in rich luxuriance, and as the vine springs from 
tree to tree, weaving in fantastic shapes around the branches, 
it presents the appearance of fairy bowers. In many places 
this vine was in full bloom, its deep, purplish blue in charm- 
ing contrast to the thick green foliage around. 

We felt more than a common interest in the owner of 
■this beautiful estate, when she told us she was of Rhode 
Island descent, her grandfather, William Brown, having been 
born in Providence, and having there married a daughter of 
Governor Wanton. Some time after his marriage he moved 
to England, and there Miss Tucker's mother was born. Mr, 
Tucker, a native of Bermuda, while on a visit to England, 
married Miss Brown, and brought her to this lone isle of 
the sea, to the very house we have just visited. 

Miss Tucker showed us very interesting relics of her 

3 



34 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

Providence ancestry, among them a silver dial, the size of 
an old-fashioned dollar, on which is engraved a sort of min- 
iature almanac, showing on what day of each month the 
days of the week would fall. This is a curious relic of the 
past, and I never saw one like it before. 

Another delightful place we have visited is Mrs. Stowe's, 
where every new-comer to the island is heartily welcomed. 
It lies on the Sound, before entering the harbor of Ham- 
ilton, and the water views are varied and charming. There, 
in addition to many other trees, we saw the mangrove, a low, 
thick tree, growing in marshy places, the branches bending 
down into the water, taking root and springing up again, 
thus increasing to an endless extent. We also saw the 
"cherrie moya," its fruit like the sugar-apple I mentioned in 
one of my letters, only very much larger, and more luscious. 

The little coves with their clear water, far down in 
which you see the fish darting in and out among beds of 
coral and sea-weeds, gems of islands studding the blue sea, — 
all these form a picture so perfect that we go again and 
again to gaze upon it. 

In one of the most sheltered nooks on this charming shore 
is a cottage nicknamed "honey-moon cottage," because it is 
often hired by newly-married people, in which they may 
spend their first month of wedded bliss. Roses and other 
flowers trellis the verandah; and in front lies a tiny bay, 
over which the lights and shades play with magic effect. 
Rowing in a little boat in and out among the rocky and 
wooded islets in this azure sea, bathed in the sweet air and 
the genial light, is almost too much happiness for this world 
of sin and sorrow and care. Mrs. Stowe would be glad to 
rent this cottage for the season ; and if one would like to 
exchange the cold of a northern winter for this sunny clime, 
I know of no sweeter place in all this fair isle. 

And thus we spend our days here, strolling about where 
our fancy leads us, and where kind friends invite us. Some 
of the visitors here think Bermuda "a very slow place," char- 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 35 

acterizing it as the country where one can do nothing with 
the utmost success. What we ourselves do here may not 
amount to much in the long run, but it pleases us, and we 
find not one moment of this holiday hanging heavily upon 
our hands. And when we go back to our home, and take 
up our daily routine of cares and duties, laid by only for a 
little time, those burdens will be sweetened and lightened 
by the memories of the dear days spent in this "isle of 
beauty." 



VII. 

Hamilton, Bermuda, March 8, 1875, 

Messrs. Editors: The Canima arrived this morning, 
and our letters bring us the welcome news that the Doctor's 
services can be supplied till after Easter ; so we shall stay a 
month longer, intending now to leave on the 8th of April. 
As this is a stormy season to be on the coast, and as it is still 
very cold in New England, we are glad to defer going home 
till the weather has become warmer and more settled. We 
do a little sight-seeing a.lmost every day, and are by no 
means tired of our island home. Every day and every hour, 
even, we find something new to admire, or we make some 
new acquaintance to increase our interest in Bermuda and 
its inhabitants. 

We were not able to visit St. George's island till we had 
been here more than seven weeks. Almost every day we 
talked of going, and each of those days it ended in talk. 
First one engagement and then another prevented, and when 
we did set the day to go, it would either be stormy, or some 
one of the party intending to go, would be kept at home for 
some reason or other. On Wednesday, the 3d of March, 
our expedition set forth, and we were gone from nine in the 
morning till six in the afternoon, and a most enjoyable time 
we had, too. Our open carriage held five, and as we were 
all pleased with ourselves and each other, it was a "mutual" 
admiration society." And then, the day was so lovely, it 
would have been wicked not to have been happy. Not a 
cloud obscured the brightness of the sky, and even the un- 
ruly winds of Bermuda were stilled. It is about ten miles 
to St. George, the road winding round and round, now on a 
jutting promontory, and now along a sheltered cove, the 
water everywhere of such a variety of lovely hues, that, at 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 37 

every turn we uttered fresh exclamations of delight. We 
went by one road and came back by another, so we had an 
opportunity of seeing all the beauties of the way. Going, 
we visited two caves, — coming back, two more. As I am 
not writing a guide-book, it is not necessary for me to specify 
these caves, or to say which we found the most beautiful or 
wpnderful. Each was perfect in its way. Before reaching 
each cave, we had to leave the carriage and walk some dis- 
tance through trees and shrubs, the coffee-plant, oranges, 
lemons, limes, oleanders," and cedars growing in profusion. 
Picking our way over rough and stony places, clambering 
down rude steps, stooping to avoid the rocks over our heads, 
our walks through the caves were anything but easy. Mar- 
shalled by a sable attendant carrying lights, we crept through 
the subterranean passages, not daring to look up till we 
could stand on some safe place, and then, after the dry pal- 
metto leaves and brush which had been carried in were set 
on fire, we gazed about with admiration mingled with awe._ 
Far above our heads stretched the rocky roof, from which 
hung stalactites, some immense in size, others shm and 
tapering, looking like the most delicate fret-work. In two 
or three of the caves was water, and far down in its depths 
were reflected the blazing bushes, our eager faces, and the 
towering pinnacles above us. Openings in and out among 
the rocks revealed vaulted chambers, each one calling forth 
repeated bursts of admiration. And then, the air was so soft 
and sweet, no unpleasant dampness about it, that the most 
delicate invalid need not be afraid to breathe it. It was all 
so wonderful that I feel no words of mine could do justice 
to it, unless I should go into the most minute description, 
and that I have not time to write, — and even if I had, I am 
afraid it would not be printed. 

Near the Walsingham cave is a calabash tree, under which 
it is said Moore often sat when he was here in 1804 (I think 
it was). Of course visitors are very desirous to get a cala- 
bash from this celebrated tree, but, although I hinted pretty 



38 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

Strongly to that effect, no attention whatever seemed to be 
paid by the owner to my wishes. At last I spoke out plainly, 
"Can I not have one.''" The answer was that they were too 
high up to be reached; but I spied, not far away, a long pole, 
so I said, "Knock one down with that pole." "Perseverance 
conquers difficulties," is an ancient maxim, and my pertinac- 
ity had its reward, and I came away the possessor of a cala- 
bash from Moore's tree ; and I intend to take it home and 
have it made into a drinking cup, — for cold water, of course. 
In former times, the visitor to St. George had to cross a 
ferry, but lately a causeway has been built over a series of 
reefs and Longbird island, ending in a swing bridge for boats 
to pass. This causeway was commenced in 1867 and fin- 
ished in 1871, and cost the colony thirty-two thousand 
pounds (one hundred and sixty thousand dollars). The 
whole length is nearly two miles, and the drive across it is 
delightful, — on our right a succession of islands, on our 
left the open sea. The situation of the town of St. George 
is very fine, rising up in steep acclivities from the sea, its 
narrow streets and white houses making me think of Malta. 
The harbor is commodious, well fortified, and far more easily 
accessible than that of Hamilton. It is a sleepy old place, 
however, not much going on except when the Halifax steamer 
stops there, on her way to and from St. Thomas. On a high 
hill back of the town are the barracks, a large number of 
troops being constantly stationed there. The view from this 
hill is magnificent, — before you St. David and other islands, 
behind, the sea stretching far away. Near the barracks a 
new church is going up, built of the white stone of the island, 
and some say it is to excel, when done. Trinity here. The 
parish church is down in the town, and is one of the oldest 
in Bermuda. We regretted not being able to go over to St. 
David, but as the only approach to it is by a long ferry, we 
had not the time for it. We hope to go to St. George again, 
however, as our stay in Bermuda is to be prolonged, and then 
we shall be able to "do up" the neighborhood. 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 39 

Near one of the caves we visited, on our way back from 
St. George, grows one of the most lovely and singular plants 
I ever saw, called the " shell-plant." It has a large leaf and 
a long stalk, from which in perpendicular rows hung more 
than two dozen bell-shaped ilowefs, each flower tipped with 
the most delicate roseate tints, like the lip of a shell, — hence 
the name. 

We devoted last Saturday morning to the barracks here, 
and witnessed a parade of the troops. I do not profess to 
know much about military tactics (or anything else, for that 
matter), but certainly their evolutions and drill seemed to me 
wonderful. The precision with which every movement was 
made, showed how the body could be trained, and how ex- 
actly like a living machine a soldier must be, obeying in the 
minutest manner every word of command. 

In the afternoon we called on Mr. Saltus, who lives in a 
house nearly two hundred years old, his ancestral home. 
The house is two stories in height, and all the wood-work is 
of cedar, some of the lower rooms being ceiled with great 
timbers of it. I never saw such an extensive collection 
of heavy, old-fashioned furniture, high post bedsteads, tall 
chests of drawers, immense chests for holding bed linen, 
chairs, side-boards, and dressing-tables, all, with one or two 
exceptions, made of the cedar of the island, and all kept in 
the most perfect order. The treasures in that house, in the 
way of furniture, coins, and other antique objects, are enough 
to make a lover of such things die with envy. The grounds 
are extensive, finely kept, abounding in fruit-trees of every 
kind incident to this region. They slope down to the water's 
edge ; and, in a little basin shut in by rocky islets, there is a 
perfect gem of a bath-house, so convenient in all its arrange- 
ments that I longed to plunge into the clear stream. 

Sunday was one of the loveliest days we have had — bright 
and warm. We spent it in Paget and Warwick, Dr. Eames 
preaching in both of those churches. To show the advance 
of the season here in contrast with yours ^t home, I will just 



40 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

say, that at dinner at Paget rectory we were regaled with 
delicious pease, potatoes, tomatoes, and strawberries fresh 
from Mr. Lough's garden, and with spring duck hatched this 
winter. 

The Canima brought to-day more than thirty passengers, 
most of whom came to this hotel ; so I imagine it must be 
pretty well filled, and doing a good business. 



VIII. 

Hamilton Hotel, March 23, 1875. 

All day yesterday our eyes were longingly turned sea- 
ward, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Canima, but she came 
not. This morning, however, she arrived, bringing us good 
news of the loved ones at home. Amid the bustle of her 
arrival, Death came gently into this house and took from 
earth the soul of one of its inmates. Dr. Brolaski, of Penn- 
sylvania, who was here when we came, and who has been an 
invalid for some time, but not considered in a precarious 
state till last evening. And thus our world here goes on. 
In one room there are laughter and merriment ; in another 
tears and great sorrow. 

Since the date of my last letter we have been "on the go" 
a good deal of the time, enjoying to the utmost the delight- 
ful weather with which we have been favored. On the 
morning of the second Sunday in March, Dr. Eames preached 
in the chapel at Prospect, the congregation composed almost 
entirely of the troops stationed there. To see that army of 
red-coats filing in, the clanking of swords mingling with the 
military tread, was a sight in itself well worth seeing. And 
the music surpassed anything I have ever heard this side of 
the Atlantic ocean. There were eight or ten wind instru- 
ments, and the men's voices, blending with these in perfect 
harmony and time, produced an effect almost overpowering. 
And the responses were given with so much fervor and at 
the same time with such mihtary precision, and the men 
were so attentive and orderly, that altogether the service 
was one I would not have willingly missed. 

We have been again to St. George, and this time stayed 
all night at the Globe hotel, a very quiet and comfortable 
house kept by Mrs. Foster. Our room was in an adjacent 



42 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

building, and, as we had to cross a little court to get to it, I 
was reminded very much of some of the quaint old inns in 
foreign lands. In fact, everything in and about St. George 
has such a foreign aspect, that it really seemed strange to 
hear our mother tongue spoken, for French, Italian, and even 
Arabic would have appeared in perfect keeping with the sur- 
roundings. We took a boat and rowed about in the harbor 
for several hours, the water clear, and lovely in hue, and 
smooth as an inland lake. The whole scene, — the town 
rising up on the hillside, the wooded islands, almost hem- 
ming us in, yet giving us occasional peeps of the blue sea 
beyond, — was one of incomparable beauty. 

We crossed to St. David, v/hich is one of the five largest 
islands, and the farthest east by north in the cluster. It is 
said that many of the inhabitants of St. David have never 
been off that island, and that until lately those benighted 
individuals have never seen a horse. Now, however, there 
are two horses on the island, " and one of them," our inform- 
ant added, "is a donkey!" We went up to a high point of 
land to get the view, passing large patches of potatoes and 
onions, well advanced in growth. A part of our way lay 
through a picturesque tangle of shrubs and bushes, so that 
our transit was by no means "o'er flowery beds of ease." 
We came to a house inhabited by a black man, who has ar- 
rived at the advanced age of eighty-five, but who is still 
erect and apparently in the use of all his faculties, and who 
has the simple and yet courtly manners of a prince. From 
his eyes, his features, and his hair, he is evidently more of 
Spanish than of African descent. He lives alone, his wife 
having died four or five years ago. He told us that he had 
plenty of relations who would be glad to come and live with 
him, but he did not want to be troubled with them. He 
owns more land on the island than any other inhabitant. 
Though he lives nearly a mile from the church, he walks 
there every Sunday, and he spoke with touching pathos of 
the services of the day before, when he received the Holy 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 43 

• 

Communion. From our elevated position on this island, we 
had a magnificent view of the sea sweeping around us on 
every side, except in the rear, where lay St. George and its 
adjacent islands. Far out to sea the white waves showed 
where were the hidden reefs that are such a natural wall of 
protection to these islands. We clambered down to the 
shore, where the waves gently kissed the rock-bound coast, 
full of crannies and nooks in which the water seemed to 
play at "hide and seek." There were several caves, and in 
one, a spring of clear fresh water came gurgling down, giv- 
ing us a refreshing draught after our long and warm walk, ^ 
Our guide crept into one hole, and soon after we saw his 
sable head appearing from the earth af quite a little dis- 
tance from where he disappeared from mortal view. In fact, 
the w^hole coast of these islands is full of caves and subter- 
ranean passages, which in the old buccaneering times must 
have been famous places for hiding treasures got by piracy 
and rapine. 

On our way back we stopped at Fort Cunningham, on an 
island that guards the entrance to the harbor. Here for* 
several years the government has been at work building a 
fort of such immense strength, that it is said to have no 
equal out of England. One might reasonably be allowed to 
wonder why such a fort should be deemed necessary in a 
place so seemingly unimportant as Bermuda, but, in case of 
a war with any foreign power, England might find these 
islands of great value as a depot for naval and military 
stores. And the building of such a fort has given work to 
many who would otherwise have nothing to do. We re- 
turned to our hotel to a three o'clock dinner, and then went 
up to the barracks, where the croquet club plays every Mon- 
day afternoon. The croquet ground is one of the most per- 
fect I have ever seen, the lawn green and smooth as velvet. 
In a grove near by, the military band discoursed most excel- 
lent music, while the groups scattered around under the 
trees added to the picturesqueness of the scene. On the 



44 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

• 

croquet lawn the players moved about, keeping time and 
step with the music, while attendants passed tea and sweet 
biscuits. 

When the playing was over, we went to the top of the hill 
in the rear of the barracks, and saw the sun go down in all 
his glory, leaving over the vast expanse of waters a golden 
radiance which slowly faded away, when the moon came up 
and cast a silvery halo over the sleeping sea. How lovely, 
yet how majestic, it all was ! 

I like St. George ever so much, and should I ever come to 
Bermuda again (which may the dear Lord in His infinite good- 
ness grant ), I should like to spend two or three weeks in 
that picturesque old town. 

On St. Patrick's day the "Bermuda hunt club" had a 
"meet" at Mount Langton. As there are no foxes or deer 
to hunt on these islands, this club gets up, now and then, a 
mock hunt. Two horsemen in huntsman array go ahead, 
scattering pieces of paper in their wake, and the remainder 
of the hunting party, on horseback, of course, go wherever 
^ these scraps of paper dictate. On the day above mentioned, 
we went, by invitation, to Mount Langton (Government 
House), to witness one of these performances.; and it was an 
animated scene, I can assure you, the spectators arriving in 
carriages, while various members of the hunting party gal- 
loped about on their fiery steeds, impatient for the chase, 
which, as it commenced on the government grounds, we had 
a fine opportunity of seeing. Several ladies were on horse- 
back, and they entered fully into the spirit of the scene. 
Away they all went, at a given signal, leaping fences and 
stone walls, and darting across the country, while we followed 
in our carriages so as to meet them at a given spot on their 
return ; and then it was such a pretty sight to see them 
come galloping along the brow of a hill, leaping over walls, 
fences, ditches, and every other obstruction in their headlong 
career. This was more like an English hunt than anything 
we have ever seen out of dear old England, and we enjoyed 
it immensely. 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 45 

One day last week we took a long walk across the island 
to Hungry bay, on the south shore, where the rocks are 
heaped up in wild confusion, and where the waves play mad 
pranks among them. Many of the rocks are full of caves and 
openings made by the surging waters, so that at every turn 
new wonders unfold in rock scenery. Nothing can exceed 
in beauty the coloring of the sea, — here a bright green, there 
a d'eep blue, the lights and shadows changing every moment, 
gi-eatly adding to the witchery of the whole scene. 

We are now in the laist week of Lent, and there are ser- 
vices in the church twice a day, which are far better attended 
tTian ordinary week-day services at home. 

In one of my letters I spoke of the labors of the clergy 
here. The predecessor of the present incumbent of this 
parish was rector here for forty-one years, and was never off 
these islands in all that tirnie. What would our roving clergy 
at honte say to such a life .>' I really do not know which is 
the most to be pitied, him who all those years preached in 
one place, or those who seldom, or rievet, had a chance of 
hearing any one else preach. 



IX. 

Hamilton Hotel, April 5, 1875. 

The Canima came in this morning promptly on time, hav- 
ing made the easiest passage that has been known for more 
than a year. May she have an equally good one on her 
return trip! 

I will now review, as briefly as I can, the events of our life 
here since my last letter. Good Friday was a peculiarly 
solemn day here, all places of business being closed, not even 
the local mails being sent out. We attended St. John's, the 
parish church, which was filled, the congregation being as 
large as any I have seen on a Sunday. All the dignitaries 
of state, and the army and navy stationed here, were present. 
After the sermon, the rector. Rev. Mark James, called upon 
the congregation to kneel in silent prayer, to ask the Lord 
to deepen in their hearts the solemn impression of the morn- 
ing's service. It was one of the most impressive scenes I 
ever witnessed : every knee in that large congregation bent, 
every head bowed, while the most profound silence reigned 
for several minutes. 
• Easter was one of the loveliest days I ever saw, at home 
or abroad. The Cathedral was dressed with the iiiost ex- 
quisite flowers, and banners of white and gold hung from the 
reading-desks, the lectern, and the pulpit, while the altar was 
literally covered with white and gold. The altar rail, and the 
pews upon the chancel floor, were trimmed with wreaths of 
green studded with white flowers, while in various places, 
from masses of palms and ferns, sprang white lilies, so great 
in size that those we see at home are as dwarfs or* babies 
compared to them. The Cathedral was full, both morning 
and evening, the Governor, family, and suite, the Admiral, 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 4/ 

who has just returned from a long cruise, his family, and 
suite, being there. Almost every one in the congregation, 
the feminine portion, at least, came out in new attire on that 
day. The music was particularly fine, and everything com- 
bined to make that a " high day." The Doctor assisted in 
the services in the morning, and administered the Holy 
Communion, and in the evening he preached, the congrega- 
tion being the largest he has ever addressed. 

Immediately after Easter, social festivities commenced, 
and in consequence our engagements have been numerous. 

In addition to evenings spent quietly with friends in Ham- 
ilton, we were one evening at a party given by Hon. S. S. 
Ingham, speaker of the Assembly, whose house commands 
exquisite views of the harbor studded with green isles. 

One day we spent at Mr. Whitney's, who lives in a charm- 
ing spot on the shore of Harrington sound, and another day 
took tea at Mr. Trott's, on the south shore of the island, 
where the view over the ocean is magnificent. 

Then there have been two meets of the "Bermuda hunt 
club," so that altogether our time has been fully occupied. 

On the south shore of this island, about five miles from 
here, is a very interesting spot, — that where the discoverers 
of these islands landed in 1543. They were Portuguese, 
and in their company was one named Bermudez, and it is 
said these islands derived their name from him. On a rock 
is cut the date of their landing, and a cross and a few initials 
may be traced, but these are fast disappearing under the 
marks of those modern adventurers who delight in leaving 
their names on rocks and trees. From this rock, called 
" Spanish rock," the view over the sea was grand. The wa- 
ter lay at our feet, "deeply, darkly, beautifully blue," while, 
miles way, the white-crested waves showed where the hid- 
den reefs were, — the terror of all seamen approaching the 
coast. Farther down the shore are the sand hills, where the 
white sand has made such fearful strides that it has buried 
in its deadly march, trees, and even a house, the chimney of 



48 LETTERS FROJI BERMUDA, 

which may be seen rising from its sandy bed. In the water 
near the shore are six large rocks, round and flat, a little 
hollowed out in the centre by the action of the waves, and 
the appearance of these rocks from the banks is very strik- 
ing. 

There is no beach in Bermuda, on which the inhabitants 
may drive and enjoy the cool breeze from the sea. Two or 
three coves or bays, it is true, have a short stretch of smooth 
sands, where at low tide one may walk and gather a few 
shells ; but a beach like that at Newport or Rye is unknown 
here. The coast everywhere is rocky and often inaccessible, 
save to an expert climber. To compensate, however, for this 
want of beach, the drives all along the shore are lovely. 

In Bermuda there are no brooks or streams winding 
through green meadows, or leaping over rocky beds. And 
yet, with even these drawbacks, Bermuda is to me inexpres- 
sibly lovely. I have driven or walked over almost all parts 
of it, and everywhere I have seen many things to admire. 
The sea, ever changing in its hue, is always a great source 
of attraction to me. And although there are no mountains 
here, there are so many hills that the surface of the country 
is very undulating ; and as the roads wind in and out among 
these hills, at every turn fresh beauties are revealed. Dear, 
dear Bermuda, how much I love thee ! and my heart saddens 
when I think how soon I must leave thee, perhaps never 
more to return. 

Added to the benefit derived from rest and the change of 
air and scene, have been the companionship and acquaintance 
of some of the most delightful people I have ever met. The 
Bermudians, both men and women, are intelligent, well edu- 
cated, and charming in their manners. I never was in a 
place where there were so many accomplished singers and 
players upon the piano. We have been at no house in an 
evening where there has not been music of the highest or- 
der. This seems the stranger to us, as so few American 
ladies pay any attention to music after their marriage. 



LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 49 

Here, eveiy house of any note has a piano, and mother and 
daughters play and sing delightfully. And they do it, too, 
with so much readiness and ease, that it adds greatly to the 
merits of the performance, for they do not wait to be teased 
and coaxed into it, as is too often the case in the States, but 
seem to take the playing and singing as a part of their duty 
and pleasure as hostesses. 

The officers of church and state, army and navy, have led 
a life of so much variety and action, that talking with them 
is like a chapter in a fascinating novel, so full are they of 
incidents and adventures they have encountered in their jog- 
ging about all over the world. Equally at home in courts 
and camps, they have served their Queen and country in the 
chair of state, as well as on the field of battle. Many of 
them have been in every country on the globe, and have 
seen foreign life under its best aspects. On the sands of 
Africa, on the burning plains of India, on the bloody fields 
of Russia and Turkey, they were known as men who never 
flinched in danger, but were ever ready to lay down their 
lives at their country's call. Constantly meeting such peo- 
ple here has been one of the charms of our Bermudian life. 

Since we came to Bermuda, Dr. Eames has preached 
twenty-seven times, ofifi elating in every church on the 
island except two — St. George and St. David. He has ad- 
ministered the Holy Communion five times, besides assist- 
ing many times in other parts of divine service. Our stay 
here has been a very happy one to us, and we leave this 
"enchanted isle" with great regret. 

And now, as the attention of the peoj^le of the United 
States is called to Bermuda, I wish to say a few words about 
the expense of a sojourn here. The trip in the steamer costs 
fifty dollars (in gold) down and back, though it is said an op- 
position steamer is to be put on, in which the fare will be 
much less. At the hotel here, where one can be very com- 
fortable, the prices range from two dollars (gold) to three 
dollars fifty a day, according to the rooms, and the length of 
4 



50 LETTERS FROM BERMUDA. 

time one stays. All over the island are nice houses, where 
the occupants are glad to take boarders, and where, of course, 
there is more quiet, but less variety on the table than at the 
hotel. I am told that good board can be had in private 
houses at ten dollars a week. Then, if one prefers to keep 
house, a cottage may be had for five or ten dollars a month, 
and furniture can also be hired. In this chmate it is not 
necessary to have carpets. Servants' wages are not high, a 
good cook asking from seven to ten dollars a month, while 
chambermaids and table girls have about five dollars. I do 
not know much of the price of provisions, but I fancy there 
is not a great difference between here and at home, beef and 
mutton being about the same here as there. After the bitter 
winter just passed, I cannot imagine how any person who 
can get away from such a climate can stay in it, when in 
three or four days this island can be reached, where frost 
and cold are "unknown terms." 

April 8. And now, our last calls are made, our adieus 
said, and we are off for the steamer. May the dear Lord 
send us a prosperous voyage, that we may soon arrive in 
"the haven where we would be." 



Note. — As an offset to the disagreeableness of the voyage out, I will 
say that the passage home, after the first day, was delightful, the weather 
good, the sea very smooth. And for fear any one might be deterred 
from going to Bermuda by what I have written of the weather there, I 
will merely say, in explanation, that the Bermudians called this last win- 
ter an exceptional one, many remarking that it was the most unpleasant 
season they had known for years. 



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